Computing machine



Nov. 15, 1949 Filed Oct. 5, 1947 c. N. CURTIS 2,488,271

COMPUTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l ;JH INVENTOR.

CLEMENT/M CUR 775 BY 244 an v- B45 Nov. 15, 1949 c. N. CURTIS COMPUTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5, 1947 INVENTOR. CLEMENT /V. CURT/s BY Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STATES PAT ENT O. F F I CE,

COMPUTING MACHINE Clement N. Curtis, Weymouth; Mass.

Application" October 3, 1947,!Srial No. 7775706 This invention relates to computingmachines;

and more particularly to a machine for-computing the withholding taxes on Wages.

- Computing machines commonly have a--casingw-ith'oneor more windows or apertures -forsighting figures or tablesplaced on ratory drums or cylinders. arranged in a' series; and sometimes-there are a number'of concentric cylinders. The first type requires-relatively complicated mechanism, and the second type is difficultto readbecauseofthe relative remotenessof the figures on the interior cylindersfrom the reading apertures; Such devicesrequire careful adjustment; andareusually expensive.

It is an object'of the presentinvention to provide a computer in which the mechanismis simple and inexpensive, and yet easier to operate andread.

a variable axis adapted to be swung aboutthe fixed axis of theouter cylinder. the invention will best be understood'fromthe following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which i Fig. l'is a perspective-view of a device'em' bodying theinvention;

' Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially' on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig.- 4 is a section taken onthe line 4 -4 of Fig. 2 and showingone operative'relation'of the parts;

Fig.- 5 is a similar view'showing adifierent op-' erative relation;

Fig. 6 is a detail View ,of the inner cylinder; and

Fig. '7 is a detaiLviewoitheouterfcylinder.

In the drawings, the computer has a base I to which a hood or .cover:2.is. held'byany suitable means. An aperture or window." Baisformed conveniently. .in...the.hood. Suitable-headings or titles indicated at 4; 5 and B, are located adjacent the window. The nature of these headings is determined .bytheintended-use of themcomputer; in the present-instance;- they are for computing a withholding tax according to the wages paidJ The heading at M'shoWs which columnsindicate wages; the-headings 5 indicate the'exemptions; and the heading 6 shows that the columns of figures beneath it are for Weekly deductions. Inside the hood is placed an arcuate and preferably semi-cylindrical sheet I which bears a table of values 8 (Fig. 7). Opposite edges Sometimes there are several drums This is accomplished- -by-pro-' viding an interior cylinder which is rotatable on The nature of:

of the sheet are secured to discs 9 and I0 which 2 are-mounted-on'shafts H and 12. For convenience; the-elements 1; Band-10 will be referred to assegmental drum or cylinder A (Fig. 7) 'The shafts and I2 are'journalled in'end-wallsl4 and 15 of the device,'and-shaft l| is provided with a handle IS;- A second drum B; which is preferably a complete cylinder, comprises a pe= ripheral arcuate sheet l8 bearing'tables" l9-and end discsZO and 2| to' which the sheet missecured. This drum is carried on a shaft-22 journalled in the discs 9 and 'Iillsee particularly Fig. 2) Shaft 22 also extends through an'- armate slot 23 inend wall "I4, and'secured to the end thereof is a knob 24. The arcuate -slot23 permits the shaft 22 to-be swung in an are around shaft -'l l. While anarcuate'slot' is preferred, it is essential that the'end wall havean opening-capable of permitting the-shaft -22 to swing in an are about the shaft H. The radius of the arc is determined by the distancebetween the two shafts, and this in turn'is determined by the relative sizes of the two-drums and'the hood.-- Normally the segmental drum A- will be approximately semi-cylindrical, though it may cover more than 0f *the periphery of the discs." The spacebetween the endsof the'sheet 1 might be smallenough to beconsideredmerely an aperture in a cylinder, if for some reason peculiar to the use of the device the inner drum was --very small; The opening so formed-in the outer cylinder will-at allevents be largeenough to permit the periphery of the inner drum B to the knob 24 in order'to turn the innercylinder is .sought .earns $24.50, the knobv is turned: until 24 appears. below the sub-he'adingfat least and 25 "appears belo'w'the sub-heading"but less than under the title wages are indicated. at 4. With this setting, the employees tax is $4.20 if he comes within the column marked 0 of the exemption code indicated at 5, or $2.40 if his exemption heading is 1. So long as the employee earns less than $70.00, the computation is made by turning the knob 24 and the cylinder B. If the wages are over $70.00, then the operator grasps the handle l6 and turns the segmental drum A. As handle 16 is turned from the position of Fig. 4 toward the position shown in Fig. 5, the tables 8 of the moving segmental drum A approach reading position and the inner drum B is simultaneously swung away from reading position. By the time the tables 8 have reached computing position, the inner drum B has been moved back out of the way (Fig. 5) and any given point on the sheet 1 which is brought opposite the aperture 3 occupies the same position with respect to said aperture which every point on the sheet l8 formerly occupied. Thus both tables are equally easy to read, as both tables, when in reading position, are equally near to the window 3.

The ends of the arcuate slot 23 serve as stops 2 for the shaft 1 I which passes through it, and this permits the segmental drum A to be rotated through an arc of about 270 more or less, and at least 180 of this movement causes values on the tables 8 to pass the window. In the position shown in Fig. 4, the mid-point of the tables 8 is almost diametrically opposite the window, and the center of gravity of the combined drums is then to the right of the axis of the outer drum. This causes the segmental drum and, consequently, the axis of the inner drum, to remain stationary. If a tax is sought for a wage of $70.00 or less, the operator turns the knob and inner drum to the desired location. If a tax is sought for a wage over $70.00, the operator lifts the handle l6 and rotates the segmental drum about its axis. As this rotation proceeds, the axis of the inner drum is shifted away from the window, and the tables 8 assume the same position and degree of proximity to the window formerly possessed by the tables I9. Since the axis of the inner drum is shifted automatically whenever the outer cylinder or segmental drum is used, no special effort or attention is required of the operator. Computations may be made more rapidly than with known devices, as there is so little effort involved and the figures on the tables are so quickly and easily seen.

I claim:

1. A computing machine having, in combination, a frame, a segmental drum mounted for rotation in said frame, means for rotating said segmental drum, a second drum having a cylindrical peripheral surface surrounding the axis of rotation of said segmental drum mounted for rotation in the segmental drum, means for rotating the second drum, and means for laterally moving the axis of rotation of said second drum with respect to the axis of rotation of the segmental drum to cause said peripheral surface to come into close approximation with the inner surface of said segmental drum in a desired location.

2. A computing machine having, in combination, a frame, a segmental drum mounted for rotation in the frame, a second drum mounted for rotation in the first drum, means for rotating the second drum, and means for rotating the segmental drum and for swinging the axis of said second drum about the axis of said segmental drum.

3. A computing machine having, in combination, a frame, a segmental drum mounted for rotation in said frame, a second drum mounted for rotation in said frame, means for rotating said drum, and means for swinging the axis of rotation of the second drum radially about the axis of the first drum.

4. A computing machine having, in combination, a casing, an aperture in the casing, a cylinder mounted for rotary movement within the casing, means for rotating the cylinder, an aperture in the peripheral surface of the cylinder, a second cylinder rotatably mounted within the first cylinder, means for rotating the second cylinder, and means for swinging the axis of rotation of the second cylinder to bring its peripheral portions into close approximation with the aperture in said casing in the region of th aperture in the first named cylinder.

5. A computing machine having, in combination, a frame, a cover, a window in the cover, a drum mounted for rotation in the frame having a peripheral surface held adjacent the window during a portion of the rotative movement of the drum and removed therefrom during the portion of said rotative movement, a second drum rotatably mounted in the first named drum having a peripheral surface which is held spaced from the window when the peripheral surface of the first drum is adjacent the window and held substantially equally adjacent said window when the peripheral surface of the first drum is removed therefrom, and means for rotating said drums.

6. A computing machine having, in combination, a frame, a cover for said frame, an arcuate supporting surface radially swingable about fixed axes in said frame, a computing table on said supporting surface, a cylindrical supporting surface mounted in said frame for rotation about a variable axis, a computing table on said cylindrical supporting surface, an aperture in said cover for viewing said computing tables, means for rotating said cylindrical surface, means for radially swinging said arcuate surface about its fixed axis, and means for swinging the axis of rotation of the cylindrical surface about the fixed axis of the arcuate supporting surface, said last named means serving to swing the arcuate surface radially during use of the computing table thereon, to swing said variable axis of rotation to a relatively remote position with respect to said aperture when said arcuate surface is employed and to swing said variable axis to a relatively nearer position with respect to said aperture when said arcuate surface is not employed.

CLEMENT N. CURTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

